Opinion: Christian Post: Christians face threats throughout Syria, thanks to its president

[TomSea]

Christians face threats throughout Syria, thanks to its president
By Mirna Barq, George Stifo and Bahnan Yamin , Op-Ed Contributors | Friday, January 24, 2020

As Syrian Christians who grew up in Syria, we are concerned at the ongoing instability in the north. Situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, this area is home to a rich diversity of Syrians: Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Muslims, Christians, Yazidis and others. It’s unconscionable that, after surviving genocidal rampages by ISIS, Christians and other civilians yet again are caught in the crosshairs.

But our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria face much worse, more long-term threats than this latest chaos. Targeted violence against Syrians of all faiths, including Christians, is a daily occurrence in the other two-thirds of the country controlled by a man whose unique sadistic tendencies have shocked the world: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A member of a minority community himself, Assad has used his status to garner sympathy and set himself up as the “protector of Christians.” We know better.

In September, the Syrian Network for Human Rights, relied upon for civilian death tolls by the UN since it stopped counting in 2014, released a report counting the number of Christian houses of worship targeted by all parties to the conflict — regime, opposition, ISIS, al-Qaeda and others. The results were damning: of the 124 churches targeted for shelling, bombing or military use since 2011, nearly two-thirds were at the hands of Assad’s forces, backed up by Russian air power and Iranian militias.

More at: https://www.christianpost.com/voice/christians-face-threats-throughout-syria-thanks-to-its-president.html

Editorials are editorials but... I think these more international types of articles do merit a place in the world news forum rather than the more political "editorials" area.

[PeteS in CA]

Syria is, perhaps, Obama's bloodiest foreign policy F-up. He tried and failed to topple Assad, and had no decent replacement in the wings. So now Syria has devolved into years of thug-on-thug-on-thug-on-... fighting that is killing lots of innocent people. And Christian minorities are convenient targets for many of the (Muslim) thug-groups.

[TomSea]

"And Christian minorities are convenient targets for many of the (Muslim) thug-groups."

Unfortunately, the theory goes,  when the West acts in the Middle East, Christians seem to be vulnerable to a backlash and the Extremists see them as a way to get back of us.

BUT, a big but.... look at Africa, we aren't in Nigeria and Christians are persecuted, so the above is a theory, probably true quite a bit of the time but maybe not always.

[TomSea]

Withdrawal of Us Troops From Iraq Can Endanger Minority Communities
By Gary Stauffer
Posted 2020-01-24 01:19 GMT

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- A vote by the Iraqi parliament to expel American troops into the country is concerned about whether their absence will make minority communities vulnerable to attacks by the Islamic State.

"These communities can afford the least instability and violence because they stick to a thread as it is and need an urgent focus on reconstruction, return and resettlement in their cities," Peter Burns, director of government relations and policies for the Ter advocacy group Ter defense of Christians, Medill News Service told. "A new round of violence in Iraq may be the last straw."

Parliament's vote of January 5 came two days after the United States murder of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the popular mobilization units of Iraq.

More:  http://aina.org/news/20200123201952.htm

Here is "Persecution.org" everyone.

https://www.persecution.org/sign-up/

I see them mentioned fairly frequently. I guess, they monitor all of this.

I think there is even some other organization that does this.